SERVICE: At Monterey April, 1862. Assigned to railroad guard duty in Railroad District, District of West Virginia, till January, 1863; at Beverly, Bulltown, Martinsburg, etc. Expedition from Summersville to Addison April 17-21, 1862. Skirmish at Holly River, W. Va., April 17. Mung’s Flats June 25. Buckhannon August 30. Sutton September 23. Big Birch October 6. Wardensville December 22. At Winchester, Va., January, 1863. At Beverly May, 1863. Scout to Beverly June 16. Action at Beverly July 2-3. At Martinsburg August, 1863. Averell’s Raid through Hardy, Pendleton, Bath, Highland, Greenbrier and Pocahontas Counties August 5-31. Rocky Gap near White Sulphur Springs August 26-27. Sutton August 26 (Cos. “G,” “I”). Bell’s Mills and on Elk River August 27 (Detachment). Bulltown, Braxton County, October 13. Averell’s Raid against Lewisburg and the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad November 1-17. Mill Point November 5. Droop Mountain November 6. Hillsboro November 10. At Beverly till May, 1864; scouting Counties of Randolph, Tucker, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Braxton, Highland, Pendleton and Webster. Cheat River December 6, 1863. Moorefield Junction January 3, 1864. Scout from Beverly through Pocahontas, Webster and Braxton Counties May 15-30. Leetown July 3. Maryland Heights, Md., July 6-7. Operations about Harper’s Ferry July 10. Snicker’s Ferry July 17-18. Kernstown, Winchester, July 23-24. Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 6 to November 28. Strasburg and Massanutton Mountain August 16. Winchester August 17. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher’s Hill September 22. Cedar Creek October 13. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty in Shenandoah Valley till December. Moved to Washington, D.C., December 19-20, thence to Bermuda Hundred December 20-23. Duty in the trenches north of James River till March, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Moved to front of Petersburg March 28-29. Hatcher’s Run March 30-31, and April 1. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Rice’s Station April 6. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Lynchburg April 12-15. March to Farmville and Burkesville April 15-19, thence to Richmond April 22-25. Duty near Richmond till August. Mustered out August 9, 1865.

LOSSES: Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 93 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 144 Enlisted men by disease. Total 241.

A reunion of Company E – there’s a lot of character in the faces of those old soldiers

Tenth W.Va Infantry Muster Roll

(as published in Major General Thomas Maley Harris by H.E. Matheny)

“This roster was compiled from the original muster rolls in the National Archives, annual reports of the adjutant general of West Virginia, 1864-5, state Civil War roster assembled by General Thomas M. Harris in 1870, county histories, membership lists of patriotic societies, and other sources.

After the Battle of Appomattox Court House, the 11th, 12th, and 15th West Virginia Infantry Regiments were disbanded. Most of the recruits and veteran volunteers in the three regiments were temporarily attached to the 10th West Virginia Infantry. As they had no part in the campaigns of the 10th, and were attached after the war, they are not listed here. All transfers out of the 10th and from one company to another within the regiment are listed.

There was some deviousness in company recording and the original forms are retained. Minor discrepancies are noted in the ages of the soldiers and spelling of family names. As there is no way to determine if a name is correct as spelled by the individual, the original is retained in this list to prevent more mistakes, even when it is obviously wrong. In a few listings, officers received promotions after being mustered out, as was General Harris. Some commission dates are earlier than muster dates. Only the first initials of family names in the lists of privates are arranged in alphabetical order.”

The Gallant Tenth West Virginia

“A force sent out by Colonel Harris from Beverly on the 15th instant, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hall, Tenth West Virginia Infantry, returned today after a successful scout through Pocahontas, Webster, and Braxton Counties. Lieutenant-Colonel Hall captured 36 prisoners, 85 horses, and 40 head of cattle, which he has brought into camp. It is reported that the notorious Major Triplett is among the prisoners. This expedition reflects great credit on Colonel Harris, commanding the post, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hall and his gallant mountaineers.”

Excerpt from the After-Action Report of Captain James J. Fitzgerald, Commanding, Twenty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, regarding the Battle at Kernstown on July 24, 1864.

“But the enemy advancing on our front in great force, the line of the brigade on our left having been crushed in and forced back, thus exposing our whole line to a cross-fire, while the battalion on our right- the gallant Tenth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry – was flanked on its right and exposed to a destructive cross-fire, the entire brigade becoming enveloped and liable to be captured, I ordered my command , which at that time was hotly engaged and unwavering, to fall back.”

Excerpts from “Major General Thomas Maley Harris” by H.E. Matheny regarding the Battle at Kernstown.

“Colonel Mulligan’s division was the 3rd, and Colonel Harris still commanded the 1st Brigade, consisting of the 10th West Virginia Infantry and the 23rd Illinois Infantry commanded by Captain James J. Fitzgerald. Colonel Harris’s brigade was expected to carry the initial shock of the coming battle. The 10th West Virginia Infantry had seven captains, six 1st lieutenants, one 1st lieutenant acting as adjutant, and 544 enlisted men. The 23rd Illinois, a much smaller regiment, contained one captain, one 1st lieutenant as acting adjutant, three 2nd lieutenants, and 280 enlisted men. The loyalty and respect of the men in the 10th West Virginia and the 23rd Illinois Infantry Regiments for each other during the Civil War was unusual. When fighting together, they acted as one unit and respected the orders of the officers of both regiments.”

“Colonel Mulligan joined Harris and complimented him for his gallant fighting and success in holding his section of the battle line. A few minutes later he rode away to strengthen the courage of his beloved 23rd Illinois Infantry.”

“The Confederate sharpshooters located Colonel Mulligan and his staff and seven of them crawled down a ditch until they were within range. They all fired at the same time, one of the bullets hitting him. Mulligan’s men tried to carry him from the field but the battle became so intense that they were forced to leave him and he was captured. He died soon afterward.”

The tumult and the shouting dies;
The captains and kings depart;
Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and contrite heart.
Lord God of hosts be with us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget.